Penn State's David Taylor Earns a Trip to the Tokyo Olympics
Penn State graduate David Taylor has accomplished plenty in his wrestling career: two NCAA titles, two Pan-American championships and a World title. Now he's headed to his first Olympic Games.
Taylor swept fellow Penn State alum Bo Nickal in the 86kg best-of-three Championship Series on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials, earning the weight class' bid to the Tokyo Games.
Taylor was one of three freestyle wrestlers representing the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club who secured spots on the men's team. He was joined by Thomas Gilman at 56kg and 2016 Olympic champ Kyle Snyder at 97kg.
Helen Maroulis, who also represents the NLWC, claimed the women's freestyle 57kg title and a spot on the Olympic team.
David Taylor wrestles Bo Nickal at the U.S. Olympic Trials (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen).
Taylor defeated Nickal 4-0 and 6-0 in Saturday's final series. In the first match, rode an early score to victory. The second match was scoreless until Taylor opened up a 3-0 lead midway through the opening period. Taylor carried that advantage into the second period for the 6-0 win. The Championship Series matched two of the most decorated wrestlers in Penn State history.
Taylor won two NCAA titles and two Hodge Awards as the top college wrestler from 2011-14. He has won two Pan-American titles, a U.S. Open title and a 2018 world championship.
Nickal was a three-time national champ at Penn State who went 19-1 at the NCAA tournament. He finished his Penn State career with a record of 120-3. Nickal earned a spot on the U.S. National Team by placing second at the Olympic Trials.
Elsewhere at the Trials, two Nittany Lions (one current, one former) placed third to earn U.S. National spots. Jason Nolf went 2-1 at 74kg, defeating Evan Wick 9-0 for third. And current Penn State wrestler Nick Lee followed his recent NCAA title with a whirlwind run to placing third at 65kg. Lee defeated the weight class' top two seeds, former teammate Zain Retherford and Yianni Diakomihalis, to the third-place finish.
That's important because, as USA Wrestling noted, Nolf and Lee receive access to funding to wrestle at the Olympic Training Center.
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Results
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg: Thomas Gilman (NLWC/TMWC) | 4-0, 1st (member 2020 US Olympic Team/US National Team)
65 kg: Zain Retherford (NLWC/TMWC) | 1-2, DNP
65 kg: Nick Lee (NLWC/TMWC) | 4-1, 3rd (member US National Team)
65 kg: Frank Molinaro (SKWC/TMWC) | 1-1 , DNP
74 kg: Jason Nolf (NLWC/TMWC) | 2-1, 3rd (member US National Team)
74 kg: Vincenzo Joseph (NLWC/TMWC) | 0-1, DNP
86 kg: David Taylor (NLWC/TMWC) | 2-0, 1st (member 2020 US Olympic Team/US National Team)
86 kg: Bo Nickal (NLWC/TMWC) | 3-2, 2nd (member US National Team)
86 kg: Aaron Brooks (NLWC/TMWC) | 2-2, DNP
86 kg: Carter Starocci (NLWC/TMWC) | 0-2, DNP
97 kg: Kyle Snyder (NLWC/TMWC) | 2-0, 1st (member 2020 US Olympic Team/US National Team)
125 kg: Greg Kerkvliet (NLWC/TMWC) | 1-2, DNP
Women’s Freestyle
57 kg: Helen Maroulis (SKWC/NLWC) | 2-1, 1st (member 2020 US Olympic Team/US National Team)
62 kg: Jennifer Page (NLWC/TMWC) | 4-1, 4th
Greco-Roman
77 kg: Mason Manville (US Army WCAP/NLWC) | 0-2, DNP